Thanks to all of you who responded to my message. The consensus was California Gull. Respondents mentioned location, date, and description. In the graphic posted by Jeff Manker, the wing tip for Calif

From about 3:15 to 4:30 this afternoon there were perhaps a dozen gulls flying and vocalizing over Claremont Canyon (in the hills on the Berkeley/Oakland border). This was a very uncommon occurrence,

We had two keel-billed toucans as "pets" in the 1980s - Cyrano and Roxane. One of the foods they especially liked were grapes. Kay Loughman in the hills on the Berkeley/Oakland border Mary Tichenor vi

There are always Band-tailed Pigeons in Claremont Canyon, so I didn't think much when - about an hour ago - I saw a flock of about 40 flying south. Not sure they were migrating; but where-ever they we

Claude and all, Townsend's Warblers masquerading as sparrows and finches were quite unusual - in my experience - until about 15-20 years ago. I remember being astounded when a Townsend appeared at one

This morning, a young Golden-crowned Sparrow appeared briefly on my deck, followed within 30 seconds by an adult White-crowned Sparrow. Just in time for the fall equinox. Kay Loughman in the hills on

Depends a lot on where you live. Like Jane, we live in the hills and have had lots of Band-tails for decades. (Originally they came for our cat food!) Not sure whether it's elevation, terrain, or some

Early this morning there was a male Black-headed Grosbeak singing exuberantly atop the neighbor's conifer for about 20 minutes. At first I assumed it was the bachelor grosbeak that has overwintered wi

We had three Golden-crowns show up at our house on 9/23 - all with immature plumage. Heard chips, but no songs all week. But then on 10/2 there was a lot of singing, and (coincidentally?) there were t

All: September 2014 seems to have been significant for Acorn Woodpeckers in the East Bay Hills. John Colbert reported the species in Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve on Sept. 14, 2014. They have bee

John, Assuming your flock is not the same as my flock, there must be quite a lot of Pine Siskins enjoying feeders in the hills. I also have around fifty today. Just one individual on 10/10, then 2-3 o

Size seems a bit off, and we wouldn't expect it anyway; but the first thing that came to my mind was Pyrrhuloxia. Kay Loughman in the hills on the Berkeley/Oakland border Hilary Powers wrote on 8/7/20

All, Thank you for your suggestions about the identification of my "mystery" bird. If this had been an identification contest, the folks who suggested "canary" would have won. Beyond knowing the birds

This afternoon I glanced out the window at one of the bird feeders, then reached for binoculars. There were a dozen birds on the feeder: lesser goldfinches, house finches, and chickadees. But on the s

Yesterday morning I had a thrill when I saw a juvenile Acorn Woodpecker at one of our seed feeders. First time ever. This morning there was a different Acorn Woodpecker at the same feeder; and briefly

Hi Sylvia, FWIW, Neither the Alameda County nor the Contra Costa County Breeding Bird Atlas mention Cassin's Finch. My birding notes for Cassin's Finch show "up to 3 males and 3 females seen 11/8-11/2

For the *tenth* year since 1997, we've had a Rose-breasted Grosbeak visit our feeders! Likely some of the sightings, as in consecutive years, were of the same bird - no way to know. Mostly it's been m

Who knows about crows, e.g why here, why now? I've lived in the hills on the Berkeley/Oakland border for most of the last fifty years. We see a few crows per month - no great numbers. But this last we

Yesterday there was one Golden-crowned Sparrow at my feeder. Today there are at least three. Kay Loughman in the hills on the Berkeley/Oakland border

For the ninth time in the last twenty years, we've had a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak visiting our feeders. This year it showed up on June 13, was not seen on June 14; but reappeared today (June 15). R